Snickerdoodle muddy buddies, also known as puppy chow, is a no-bake, sweet chex mix. Chex cereal is coated in white chocolate and tossed in a blend of cinnamon and sugar.
Recipe summary
Flavor/texture: Crunchy and sweet snack mix made with chex cereal tossed in white chocolate with a coating of cinnamon sugar.
Easy and no-bake: Have a batch ready in less than 30 minutes. All you need is a microwave or stovetop for melting chocolate!
Yield: About 5 cups
Similar to: Christmas Muddy Buddies (Puppy Chow), Lemon Muddy Buddies (Puppy Chow)
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Ingredients and substitutions
- Chex cereal - Any plain chex cereal works for this recipe, like rice chex or corn chex. Wheat chex can also be used if desired. Try using a combination of all three.
- White chocolate chips - Can be substituted with white chocolate melting wafers.
- Granulated sugar and cinnamon - These two ingredients add a snickerdoodle cookie texture to the coating of your puppy chow.
- Confectioner's sugar - Coats your cereal, giving it a classic powdered puppy chow/muddy buddies look.
How to make snickerdoodle muddy buddies
- Mix melted white chocolate and cereal in a gallon sized bag.
- Add granulated sugar and cinnamon and toss to coat.
- Add confectioner's sugar and toss to coat.
- Cereal will have a candy coating dusted with sugar and cinnamon.
Tips and tricks
Serve a crowd - As written, this recipe makes about eight heaping half-cup servings. This recipe can easily be doubled or tripled to feed a crowd.
Mix in a bowl or bag - For easy cleanup, mix your muddy buddies in a large, gallon-sized plastic bag. It's easy to seal and shake to mix. Otherwise, a large bowl and spoon can get the job done.
Excess sugar? - Don't worry if you see excess confectioner's sugar in the bottom of the bag or bowl. Not all of the sugar is meant to stick on the cereal - this is normal.
Frequently asked questions
Muddy buddies is also known as puppy chow, reindeer chow, reindeer mix, or muddy munch.
It should go without saying, but (after receiving several comments about this) muddy buddies is for humans only, not dogs. This popular American snack was nicknamed "puppy chow" due to its similar look to the dog food with the same name.
For more information, check out: Wikipedia: Puppy chow (snack)
Yes! I'd recommend adding in about 1 cup of mix-ins for every 4 cups of chex cereal used. Here are a few ideas to get you started: mini pretzels, mini marshmallows, graham cracker pieces, golden grahams cereal, M&M's candies, candy corn, peanuts, or pistachios.
Allow your muddy buddies to dry completely before storing. Otherwise, the wet chocolate can build up moisture in the container it's stored in and make the cereal soggy.
No, it can be stored safely at room temperature. I'd recommend storing in the refrigerator if your home is very warm and the chocolate begins to melt.
Recommended
📖 Recipe
Snickerdoodle Muddy Buddies (Puppy Chow)
Ingredients
- 4 cups chex cereal
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
- 1.5 teaspoons cinnamon
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add cereal. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, microwave white chocolate chips for 30 seconds, stir. Microwave for additional 30 second increments until chips are melted and smooth. Pour chocolate over cereal and stir carefully to fully cover but not break the cereal. Pour cereal mixture into a large gallon size plastic bag (or, continue in the same bowl you're using).
- In a separate bowl, combine cinnamon and granulated sugar. Pour over cereal mixture, close bag, and shake to coat. Add powdered sugar, close bag, and shake to evenly coat cereal (or, stir until evenly coated, if using a bowl).
- Line a baking sheet with parchment or wax paper and pour cereal mixture into a single layer. Refrigerate for 10-15 minutes (or until chocolate has hardened). Store in an airtight container until ready to serve.
Equipment Recommendations
Notes
- Not for dogs: It should go without saying, but this snack mix is meant for human consumption only and is not made for dogs.
- Optional mix-ins: Try adding 1 cup of mix-ins for every 4 cups of cereal used: pretzels, m&m's candies, nuts, cookie pieces, mini marshmallows, or graham cracker pieces.
- Storage: Store muddy buddies at room temperature in a tightly sealed container for 1 week or more.
This recipe looks so good! We tried but the white chocolate chips didn’t melt :(. Any tips for the best ones to get the right melted consistency? TIA
Hi Sam, they may have been heated too quickly. I'd recommend using 15 second increments instead of 30 seconds if they don't seem to be melting properly. You could also try melting them over a double boiler on the stovetop instead.
If all else fails, you could also try using white chocolate melting wafers instead. They're made for melting but sometimes a bit harder to find in stores compared to chocolate chips.
This stuff is soo good! We are definitely making it again! Next best thing to eating a snickerdoodle cookie.
So glad to hear you enjoyed it!
Cinnamon Chex amped it up!
Great idea!
What kind of chex do you use.
Hi Lisa, you can use any kind of chex, but I like to use rice or corn chex.
Great snack mix, we doubled for a party. Thanks!
Thanks for sharing! Heck YES to this flavor!!
So good!! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for sharing! Does it keep long?
Hi Vanessa! It does start to get less crunchy the longer you keep it. It should keep for 1 week if stored in a tightly sealed container.